Gym clip

ABSTRACT

A gym clip with clip body housing and one or more clip bodies each hold a spring clip. The spring clip can be used to hold a gym towel, or a key ring that can hold the user&#39;s keys. A hollow portion in the housing can hold paper currency. A belt clip located on the underside of the housing can be fastened to a user&#39;s belt or pants pocket lip or waistband. The housing includes a retaining ledge that can retain a plurality of clip bodies so that multiple items can be held at the same time.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

DESCRIPTION OF ATTACHED APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to the field of fastening devices andmore specifically to a gym clip.

When going to a health club or gym, it is often necessary for a personto carry specific items, such as keys, money and a transaction card,while wearing gym clothes. Gym clothes tend not to have the type ofpockets that are available when wearing normal outdoor clothes.Additionally, a person does not have easy access to purses or othercarry bags when operating gym equipment. Also, when a person isexercising at a gym facility, they often carry a moisture absorbenttowel to wipe away the excessive sweat that occurs during the exerciseprocess. To this end, those who frequent gyms tend to look for ways tocarry the above described items in an efficient way.

There have been many key holders designed and marketed to attach to auser's belt. Additionally, there have been various towel holdersdesigned and marketed that attach to a user's belt.

However, there is a deficiency in the prior technology in that there isno single carrying device that can be custom designed by the user tohold a variety of items at the same time, including keys, a towel, papercurrency and a transaction card.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the invention is to provide a gym clip thatattaches to a users belt or pocket and can hold a variety of items thatthe user normally carries with him or her during a workout session.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gym clip that can retaina towel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gym clip that can retainkeys.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gym clip that canretain currency in the form of paper bills.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a gym clip that canretain a credit card sized transaction card.

Still yet another object of the invention is to provide a gym clip thatcan be modified to accept any or all of the above described items.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, anembodiment of the present invention is disclosed.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, there isdisclosed gym clip comprising: clip body housing, clip body, clip bodyretaining tabs, sub body housing, clip, clip ring, key ring, belt clip,housing pivot pin, belt clip pivot pin, said housing body including aclip body retaining ledge, said sub body housing attached to said clipbody by said housing pivot pin, said belt clip attached to the undersideof said sub body housing by said belt clip pivot pin, said clip bodyslidably and removably retained within said body housing by said clipbody retaining ledge and said retaining tabs, said clip ring attached tosaid clip body, and said clip attached to said clip ring.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings constitute a part of this specification and includeexemplary embodiments to the invention, which may be embodied in variousforms. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects ofthe invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate anunderstanding of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a front view of the dip housing of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the dip housing with clip bodies in place.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a clip body having a key ring extension.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a clip body having an elastic cordextension.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a clip body having a fixed spring clipattached.

FIG. 6 is a side section view of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the open sub housing holding papercurrency.

FIG. 9 is a rear view of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a rear view of the invention with a transaction card inplace.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an alternate version of the inventionthat holds a single clip body.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the alternate version in place on auser's pants pocket lip.

FIG. 13 is a front view of the alternate version of the invention.

FIG. 14 is a side view of the alternate version of the invention.

FIG. 15 is a top view of the alternate version of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are provided herein.It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may beembodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed hereinare not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for theclaims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the artto employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailedsystem, structure or manner.

Referring now to FIG. 1 we see a front view of the clip housing 10 ofthe invention. A ledge 2 that surrounds three sides of the housing canretain clip bodies 12, to be described below.

Retaining tabs 6, 8 allow the clip bodies 12 to snap into the housing 10and can flex out of the way when a dip body 12 is removed by a user.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the clip housing 10 where three clip bodies12 have been slid into place within the clip body 10. Each clip body 12shown has a ring 16 and a spring clip 14 attached to it. The spring clip14 can removably retain items such as a key ring, or an absorbent towel.Tabs 6, 8 prevent all the clip bodies 12 from falling out until the userwants to remove them.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a clip body 12 and ring 16 that isholding a standard key ring 18 that lets user's easily remove andreplace keys from the ring 18.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a clip body 12 that has an elasticcord 20 attached to it, and a spring clip 14 attached to the cord 20.The elastic cord allows a user to insert a towel into the loop portionformed by the cord 20. The clip 14 allows the user to hold an additionalitem such as a key ring.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a clip body 12A shows a spring clip14A that is fixedly attached to the top portion of the clip body 12A.

FIG. 6 shows a side section view as defined by section line 80 in FIG.2. Clip bodies 12 rest in main clip housing 10 provides the space forsliding in clip bodies 12. Rings 16 are inserted into an aperture at thetip of the clip body 12. Spring clips 14 include an aperture in one ofthe legs that allow the ring 16 to be attached to the leg. A sub housing11 forms a space 32 to store paper currency 34. The currency can beaccessed by swinging open the sub housing via pivot pin 26. A belt clip24 is attached to the underside of sub housing 11 via hinge pin 28. Thesub housing 11 is held in place by retaining member 4 which can bereleased by the user to access the space 32 within the sub housing 11.Integral thumb press member 36 allows the user to open belt clip 24. Thebelt clip 24 is spring biased by a torsion spring, not shown, in astandard way. The belt clip 24 allows the user to removably attach theinvention to his or her pants pocket lip, waist band, or belt. Diskshaped magnets 22 are fixedly attached to the underside of clip bodies12. The magnets 22 allow the clip bodies to be attached to a ferrousmetal surface such as a metal gym locker or metal exercise equipment.

FIG. 7 shows a side view of the invention. Transaction card retainingmember 30 can be seen holding a transaction card 38 in place between theretaining member 30 and the pivot portion 28 of the belt dip. Many gymsissue credit card sized membership cards. This card can be held in thepresent invention. Other fitness clubs issue smaller transaction cardsthat each have an aperture in one end to allow the card to be attachedto a key ring. This type of card can be attached to any of the rings orclips associated with the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of the invention with the sub housing 11swung open via pivot point 26. The space between the underside of mainhousing 10 and the top surface of sub housing 11 allows a person tostore folded paper currency 34 within the space 32. The embodiment shownincludes Three clip bodies 12. One with a key 42 attached by standardring 40. The other two clip bodies have spring clips 14 attached.

FIG. 9 shows a rear view of the invention clearly showing belt clip 24and transaction card retaining member 30.

FIG. 10 shows a rear view of the invention with a transaction card 38 inplace.

FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of an alternate embodiment 50 of theinvention that holds a single clip body 12. Retaining tabs 57, 58 holdthe clip body 12 in place until the user pulls on the dip body 12 andovercomes the resistance of the retaining tabs 57, 58. The underside ofthe invention 50 includes a ring retainer 54 and ring 56. In thisembodiment 50 the user can attach a towel 74 to spring clip 14 and a keyto ring 56. The belt clip 52 holds the unit 50 to the user's belt orpants pocket lip, or waistband as shown in FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 shows a front view of the clip housing of the alternateembodiment of the invention 50. FIG. 14 shows a side view of theinvention 50 clearly showing belt clip 52.

FIG. 15 shows a top view of the alternate embodiment of the invention 50with a clip body 12 in place. The clip body has ring 16 and spring clip14 attached.

While the invention has been described in connection with a preferredembodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention tothe particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended tocover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may beincluded within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

1. gym clip comprising: clip body housing; clip body; clip bodyretaining tabs; sub body housing; clip; clip ring; key ring; belt clip;housing pivot pin; belt clip pivot pin; said housing body including aclip body retaining ledge; said sub body housing attached to said clipbody by said housing pivot pin; said belt clip attached to the undersideof said sub body housing by said belt clip pivot pin; said clip bodyslidably and removably retained within said body housing by said clipbody retaining ledge and said retaining tabs; said clip ring attached tosaid clip body; and said clip attached to said clip ring.
 2. Gym clip asclaimed in claim 1 further comprising an alternate clip body thatincludes a fixed clip attached to the tip of said clip body.
 3. Gym clipas claimed in claim 1 wherein said clip body housing can retain threesaid clip bodies.
 4. Gym clip as claimed in claim 1 further comprisingan alternate clip body that includes a resilient cord that can removablyretain a towel.
 5. Gym clip as claimed in claim 1 wherein said clip iscapable of removably retaining a gym towel.
 6. Gym clip as claimed inclaim 1 wherein the space created within said sub housing is capable ofremovably retaining paper currency.
 7. Gym clip as claimed in claim 1wherein said belt clip can be attached to a user's belt, or pantswaistband or a pants pocket
 8. Gym clip as claimed in claim 1 furthercomprising a magnetic disk fixedly attached to the underside of saidclip body so that said clip body may be attached to a ferrous metalsurface.
 9. Gym clip as claimed in claim 1 wherein said clip bodyhousing can hold a single clip body.
 10. Gym clip as claimed in claim 1further comprising a transaction card retaining member attached to thedistal end of said clip body housing so that said transaction card canreside on the underside of said sub housing and be removably held bysaid card retaining member and said belt clip.